The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting cleaning bodies for a tubular heat exchanger, in which cleaning bodies such as sponge balls are introduced into cooling water to wash or clean the interior of heat transfer pipes of the heat exchanger, and the cleaning sponge balls are efficiently collected.
In, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 58-186411 a cleaning body collecting apparatus for a tubular heat exchanger is proposed wherein a lower portion of a collection lattice is formed into a collection container, an obliquely extending guide member is provided in the region of an end wall of the collection container, and the width of the guide member is narrower than a distance between side walls of the collection container. The guide member is directed toward a cleaning member outlet, with the cleaning member being separated from the cooling water.
In Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication 62-19298 an apparatus is proposed wherein a cleaning body extracting pipe for absorbing the cleaning bodies collected at a downstream and of a lattice is disposed in a space defined by the collection lattice.
With respect to the former prior art apparatus, no means are provided for rectifying a deflected flow, from the upstream side, for the inlet side of a cylindrical casing. Consequently, it is difficult to stably collect the cleaning bodies since the cleaning bodies would be stuck to or stagnate in the lattice.
In addition, when a large amount of foreign matter is temporarily introduced into the apparatus, it is impossible to prevent the introduction of the foreign matter between the guide member and the side wall of the container. Accordingly, the foreign matter would clog an open end of the cleaning body extracting pipe located on the lower side and facing downstream, so that the collection efficiency of the cleaning bodies would be decreased.
The latter prior art apparatus suffers from a problem that it is difficult to stably collect the cleaning bodies, since the cleaning bodies would be stuck to or stagnate in the lattice due to fact that there is no means for rectifying or regulating the deflected flow at the inlet side of the cylinder with respect to the deflected flow from the upstream side.
In addition, when a large amount of foreign matter is temporarily introduced, since there is no means for preventing the introduction of the foreign matter, the foreign matter or the like would clog the opening portion of the cleaning body extracting pipe located on the upper side and facing upstream, thus reducing the cleaning body collecting performance.